The venerable ltx, who I'm sure you remember from posting these daily sale posts during all the past sales, is taking over these daily posts over the weekend. But I'll still be around, helping where I can. I'll start submitting these posts again on Monday.

and then every time after it sucks. At least for me. I feel really sad that I don't like Skyrim. The first two weeks I had that game I logged tons of time into it and then once I had practically done everything I gave up and didn't want to touch it again.

I'm not sure if the DLC fixed it but something about Skyrim just doesn't make me feel like I'm having fun playing it. I think it's the province honestly. Skyrim is too damn depressing for my taste. Maybe the DLC made it better. idk

Exact same thing happened to me, at Mage College too. The characters seem shallow, the storyline seems like it's not leading anywhere. I just tried Oblivion and was blown away by its storyline. Give that a shot if you don't mind the graphics/combat a step backward, because it more than makes up for it story wise.

It's not your fault. As large and open as the game world is there really isn't much to be done. There's only a handful of dungeons which are then stamped across the map with minor variations. Majority of the skill trees are completely useless/pointless. After the first 15 or so hours everything has a been there, done that feel to it. Which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the plot setting an extremely depressing tone through the entire game. The main storyline is forgettable, monotonous and tedious throughout. Combat is shit. Spellcasting is shit. The default UI is complete mega shit. By going off reddit posts it would seem people had more fun searching out and taking screen shots of wacky bugs and glitches than anything else. The entire game feels extremely incomplete but it gets praised as if Jesus himself sent it down from the heavens. The only redeeming factor the game has, imo, is the modding community which says shit about the developer. I spent more time playing with mods than anything else which makes me wonder who should really be paid for any entertainment that can be found within.

tl:dr; SKYRIM IS THE BEST GAME EVER 10/10 GOTY HOW DARE YOU INSULT SUCH A MASTERPIECE!!

I'd like to recommend that everybody pick up Orcs Must Die! Awesome game. It plays sort of like a cross between action and tower defense, but I'd classify it more as a tower defense game for people who don't usually play tower defense games. Basically you set traps around a level via a third person camera over the shoulder of the protagonist, and then open the doors holding out the orcs to start each level. Orcs come running in and whatever your strategically placed traps don't take care of, you need to handle with your sword and crossbow before they get to the end of the level. I had a ton of fun with it!

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: The latest in Bethesda's series of sprawling non-linear RPGs, Skyrim has you traverse various scenic locations and fight various foes. Admittedly, I wasn't a big fan of Skyrim at first. The combat is rather bland, the game runs poorly, the story is forgettable, as are the characters, and it's quite buggy. However, there's something endearing about Skyrim, the sense of scale and the amount of exploration, the ability to drop what you're doing and hike a mountain. As with the other games in the series, Skyrim has a thriving modding community that seeks to polish up Skyrim's more lackluster features.

Replay Value: High

Verdict: If you like open-world RPGs, Skyrim is among the best for its exploration. The core gameplay is rather weak in my opinion, but mods greatly improve it.

Dead Island: It's one of the latest games in the zombie craze, and it surprised many with its fantastic trailer. Sadly to say, the game itself is nothing like the trailer. Dead Island is a hollow and mediocre hybrid of Borderlands and Left 4 Dead. Nothing about it felt particularly well made. The plot was uninteresting, the protagonists were among the most unlikable in any video game I've played, the gameplay is highly repetitive and feels like a grind, and the game isn't particularly good looking, oh, and there are escort missions. The sole redeeming feature is co-op, which does make the game far more entertaining, but not enough to make it worth the purchase. Also, the Ryder White DLC is absolutely dreadful and keeps nothing good about the original game. Avoid it like the plague.

Replay Value: Moderate

Verdict: Passable. Skip it if you're only doing single player. Maybe look into it for co-op, but there are better co-op games out there.

Borderlands: Another co-op shooter, Borderlands combines the loot craze of Diablo with the fast paced action of a FPS. You play as a vault hunter, trying to, well, find a vault that has unimaginable treasures. Along the way, you'll shoot subtly different versions of similar looking bandits and Skags (enemy variety in this game isn't that good) by yourself or with up to 3 other players. Single payer isn't very good, as the plot is very thin, the combat feels like a grind, and it feels like a chore. If you have a high tolerance for grinding and repetition,then it can be quite fun. However, in multiplayer, the game truly shines, as it becomes a blast with some good buddies. If you're interested in Borderlands, I'd recommend the Game of The Year Edition, as it adds all 4 DLC packs for only 2.50 USD more. A disclaimer: Borderlands isn't a very good PC port, and it requires heavy tweaking to use properly, so I'd recommend using this guide over at the PCGamingWiki.

Replay Value: Moderately High

Verdict: Skippable for single player. Pick it up if you have a few good buddies for co-op.

Tropico 4: It's pretty much a tweaked version of Tropico 3 with a few minor additions. The Tropico series has you as El Presidente and you have to manage your nation. Deal with foreign powers, pay off debts, and gain support from your populace. If you enjoy the particular style of game and you haven't played a Tropico game, then Tropico 4 would be the best. If you already own Tropico 3, then recommending Tropico 4 would be more difficult, as not a whole lot is different. If you're looking for some extra content, then pick up the DLC , otherwise, Tropico 4 is a solid refinement of a solid series. There's a demo so check it out for yourself.

Replay Value: Moderate

Overall Verdict: If you like city building games, then check out Tropico 4, as it's a solid game. If you already own Tropico 3, don't expect too much to be different.

Frozen Synapse: It's a turn based shooter wherein you have to manage a small squad of unit and kill the opposing squad without loosing your entire team. Sounds simple enough, but various factors play into your decisions based on the type of units you and your enemy has, the terrain, stress, and so much more. It's a thinking man's game as you have to constantly anticipate the opponent's moves and react accordingly. One mistake could mean the difference between victory and failure. Things get even more unnerving as you jump into multiplayer, where a wide array of players with different mindsets will face you. It's quite a niche game, although it's very accessible. Try out the demo and see if you like it. The soundtrack is fantastic and the Red DLC is also quite good, so pick them both up with the base game.

Replay Value: Moderate

Verdict: Strategy fans should pick this up, or at the very least, check out the demo. It's very well made, and it can be great fun with a good friend, or ten. It's similar to chess, except with bullets.

Orcs Must Die! Orcs Must Die is a hybrid third person action tower defense game. You must defend your base from the orc invasion using your traps and weapons, while not being killed yourself. It's quite fun and the wide variety in tower type and weapons staves of the feeling of repetition quite nicely. The skull system also adds a nice persistent element to the game as well. My major complaint about the game was that it's single player only, but the core game itself is very fun. The DLC adds some more weapons and tools for you to use, so I'd pick up the Game of The Year Edition. There's a demo, so check it out.

Replay Value: Moderately High

Verdict: If you like a unique spin on tower defense, check out Orcs Must Die. It's quite fun, so long as you don't mind playing by yourself.

Two Worlds II: It's the sequel to the much maligned Two Worlds, although it's much better. Two Worlds II is an RPG adventure that takes you on a variety of locales often not seen in RPGs like the Savannah. The two things about Two Worlds II that stick out for me are the sense of humor within the game as it's quite self-aware and the multiplayer, which very few other RPGs implement. It's essentially the B-movie equivalent of an RPG, as many aspects like the combat and voice acting are much weaker than AAA titles.

Replay Value: Moderately High

Verdict: If you're looking for a campy B-movie experience, a multiplayer RPG, or just a solid RPG in general, Two Worlds II might be for you.

DiRT Showdown: A disclaimer: I'm not a racing afficianado, so I'm not too knowledgeable on the specifics of what makes a racing game "good", but the DiRT series has always had good handling and great visuals. DiRT Showdown is an arcadey spinoff of the series, and while not quite as good as the core games, it's still a solid game on its own right. I've heard the single player campaign wasn't particularly good and the online multiplayer has gotten a mixed reception from critic reviews, as has the game itself. Check out the demo and see if you like it.

Replay Value: Moderately Low

Verdict: Try the demo out if you like racing games. If you don't, then you won't like DiRT Showdown.

Braid: Braid is an artistic platformer with the unique feature to go back in time and undo your mistakes. Each world has a unique gimmick that alters your play style. It's quite a good game, and there's a demo, so check it out.

Bit Trip Beat Bit Trip Beat is like Pong but the gameplay is timed to the music. It's quite simple, but very enjoyable.

Bunch of Heores: it's rubbish. It's a twin stick shooter with co-op, but it's not very good. It's repetitive and very bland. It's very passable.

Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet: It's a very unique adventure game that provides many puzzles to enjoy. It's quite a good game, but be warned, it uses GFWL.

Runespell: Overture: essentially, it's poker meets an RPG. It's a unique concept, and for the most part, it works well although it's not quite varied enough to completely stave off repetition.

Replay Value: Low to Moderate

Overall Verdict: Braid is a fantastic game and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is quite good too. Bit Trip Beat is fun, but it might be too simplistic for some. The rest are passable.

I must disagree that Borderlands is should be skipped for single player only players. I personally clocked over 100 hours over the main game + expansions in the Xbox version with minimal amount of multiplayer. I would highly suggest this game to anyone who is looking for 100+ hours of entertaining AAA level gaming at indy prices ($7.49 for the main game + expansions, common!). Plus with the sequel set to drop in 2 months, now would be the perfect time to see what it was all about before digging into another huge game!

I can agree with you with one caveat: It takes a certain type of personality to enjoy Borderlands solo. If you are the kind of person who sunk thousands of hours into Diablo 2, you will probably enjoy Borderlands by yourself. I certainly did, but I can easily see how people would get bored with it very quickly if the hunt to crack open the next pinata isn't why they're playing the game.

EDIT: The only reason I don't still play is because it kept glitching out on me where it would drop my equipped weapon when i died and half the time when I got back to my corpse that weapon would just be gone. Since you tend to have all your best weapons equipped, this can get very frustrating. After losing three Pestilent Defilers this way, I finally hung it up.

For Borderlands I would just like to say, I absolutely loved playing single player. Co-op was indeed the game's strong point but I never for a minute felt like my money was wasted during a single player run.

I think this is always gonna be the problem with these posts. Gaming is so, so subjective so I advise anyone reading squidthesid's posts to take it with more than a pinch of salt. I loved Borderlands's single-player and found Dead Island to be very fun.

At the same time the reason the posts are worth reading is because it gives a better perspective than a wikipedia article.

Dude, Orcs Must Die. Insanely amazing. It's a hybrid of first person shooter and tower defense. Plus, in just over two weeks, the sequel will be released, and everyone who owns the original gets bonus content.

It works okay (Win 7 64 bit). I still get some issues when initially booting up where it will freeze and not recognize keyboard or mouse inputs, but it's really quick to restart. This sometimes happens a few times in a row, but after that I'm good.

I occasionally get the same issue in game (usually right around a battle)...so save at least semi-frequently. Save games don't take up that much space, anyway, although naming the save game is a little irritating.

Everything else is pretty good. I have multiple saves going so that I can see every possible response, but I'm lazy like that. The graphics don't look that terrible (unlike people in Deus Ex), and I find the storyline compelling. Definitely a Bioware game, though.

Hey guys, the witcher 2 is currently one of the flash sales. Should I wait until the last day of sales for a possibility of the witcher 2 being discounted more? I'm just afraid that the witcher 2 won't be on sale again and that I will lose out.

I just bought it. I don't have a crystal ball, but I really don't think that it will come up for cheaper than that for this sale.

It was up for a community vote the first day. It would also have been 60% off (Arkham City would have been 66% off). So no change in the amount off there in the community vote versus the flash sale price. Additionally, most of the flash sales are pretty heavily discounted, many being 75% off. Those are unlikely to be cheaper, pointing to the flash sales also being the cheapest that the games will be.

This all leads me to strongly believe that the maximum amount off is going to be the same whether it is a daily special, community voted special, or a flash special. Thus I don't expect it to be cheaper and purchased it.

Please note Tropico 4's metascore is a joke. It is a wonderfully polished city builder and strategy hybrid that was not very well accepted at release for a few reasons that have been fixed now. Well worth it.

Just a heads up to potential Tropico 4 buyers, for 4.99 you can buy Tropico 1-3 along with T3's Absolute Power DLC in a pack. It's a better investment than Tropico 4 imho as there's not much of a difference between 3 & 4.

I find the extra little bit in Tropico 4 to be worth it, especially at this price. There's really no reason to install and play Tropico and Tropico 2, so it's between 3 and 4 and by a long shot, especially with the DLC, Tropico 4 is more polished and has more content.

Tropico 4 is by far one of the best city-building style strategy games that has came out in a long time. It was kind of dogged for being a quick sequel to Tropico 3 and bears many similarities, but the good side of it is the polish. It is an extremely polished game that has a TON of content if you like it. At it's current price there is really no excuse not to own it.

Plus being El Presidente of a tropical island is amazing, and the way you play it you can be capitalist, communist, or socialist without it being a clear choice.

Can someone do me a huge favor? Im going in vacation and wont be able to check the steam website that often. Can someone PM me once ARMA goes on sale so i can buy it? Im mostly afraid it will be one of those flash deals and I get notifications when people pm me. Thank you!

Just a heads up guys, I made a killing with the 30% increased trade in at gamestops (you get the increase when you apply it to a steam card). I traded in left 4 dead fucking 1 and little big planet 2 and got $43

I am interested in the Batman Franchise flash sale. Is all the DLC worth it or should I save a few bucks and just get City + GOTY Asylum for less? Gotham City Impostors doesn't interest me at all, nor does cosmetic DLC. What do the extra characters add to the game? The Harley Quinn DLC sounds cool, but is it?

It depends on your local game distributor. For example Skyrim is not available on Steam in Poland, but you can buy retail copies with no problem. It's because Cenega has exclusive rights to sell Skyrim in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

one of my favorite games of all time, definitely pick up the GOTY edition for 7.50. Tons of guns, fun missions, and a pretty awesome/hilarious storyline. It's definitely loot-driven and is more fun with friends

I bought the GotY edition and I'm still not done with it yet, there's just so much to do. Imagine Fallout with more of a fast-paced FPS feel to it. There's a metric ton of quests, even more guns. There's quite a bit of comedy thrown in there as well. Tons of fun if you like "Shooter-Looter" style games as I've heard it being called recently.
Definitely worth the $5 I'd say seeing as how it was a hit game well worth the $60 when it came out.

OK, please help me out. I want Skyrim and I want Fallout, but I don't care about Brink at all. It is wiser to buy Skyrim at 50% off today and hope that Fallout goes on sale later or should I just get the Bethesda pack? Is there maths that can be done?

Holy shit, all three Sam & Max seasons for $12? If anyone that hasn't played them sees this within the next five or so hours, buy them, you won't be disappointed (unless you don't like point-and-click adventures, in which case, you probably will be disappointed.)

At $10 it's worth it. It's got drop in/drop out co-op which is pretty awesome. You can jump into the middle of someone else's game and help them out. It's pretty awesome when you get 4 people working together. Downside is that the gameplay gets a little repetitive after a while.

I HIGHLY recommend you play it at least once. it is a very uniquely fun game. It's like Rainbow Six, Tron, and Chess had a wicked awesome threesome and made a baby. The strategy is really top notch. It's turn-based but also real-time during the action phase, so anticipating the enemy moves is paramount. Each level is also randomized to an extent so the replay value is very high.

Be warned when buying Dead Island. The head bob/movement is lethal to older gamers. Good game but I couldn't spend more then 5 mins without having to vomit. There is an external program that fixes the head bob slightly by increasing the FOV, but it does no effect when attacking.